


Movie Night

by DanOfVulcan



Series: Momentos [8]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: M/M, Movie Night, Popcorn, Tuckerreed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-08
Updated: 2016-03-08
Packaged: 2018-05-25 02:14:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6176290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanOfVulcan/pseuds/DanOfVulcan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's movie night, and the picture might not be the main attraction</p>
            </blockquote>





	Movie Night

It was an hour into the movie, and Trip was already fully invested in the drama. Sure it wasn't _Bride of Frankenstein_ , but he did enjoy a good drama, or love story, when he was in the mood. So, when he learned the movie that night was going to be _Doctor Zhivago_ , he just had to go.

As he grabbed some popcorn, and enjoyed it to the dialogue unfolding in front of him, he felt it again. That clear impression he was being scrutinized, an itching between his shoulder blades, as if he was being pierced by targeting scanners. Trying to ignore it, the engineer munched on the popcorn, and turned his attention to the film. After all, it wouldn't do to lose some important piece of informantion and get lost in the twists and turns of the plot.

After a while Trip didn't even remember that happening. The movie occupied his mind, had his undivided attention, and everything was as natural as they could be. That's when it happened.

Again he felt it: the itching between his shoulder blades, just like before.

It wasn't just that he felt observed, as he had been feeling, and trying to ignore, since the movie started. It was that, just like a few minutes ago, it was so intense, so localized it felt as if he was being scanned.

 Slowly turning his head to look back, he saw no one staring at him. Every single person had their eyes fixed on the movie, and not one of them looked at him when he looked back. He could make out, even in the dim light cast by the projection, T'Pol with her unreadable expression sitting absolutely motionless, Hoshi sitting a few rows back, and Travis, holding a popcorn bucket, sitting beside Malcolm. None of them were staring at him, neither were any of the other crew members in the room. Noticing the engineer was looking back, Hoshi looked at him, and smiled. Trip smiled back, and waved timidly at her.

Deciding he was probably just imagining things, he turned back and was once again trying to pay attention to the struggles of Doctor Yuri Andreyevich.

 

***

 

_Now you just gotta be kidding me!_ the blonde thoght to himself as he felt it again. Fed up with this game, he rocked uncomfortably on the chair, and tryed to ignore it. Deciding some popcorn might help, he reached for the bucket and at that noticed it was nearly empty, so he decided a refill was in order. Getting up from his seat, trying to move as quickly and unobtrusively as possible so as to not disturb the other viewers so much, he moved over to the food dispenser.

Once his bucket was full, Trip leaned against a wall, and started to inspect the assembled crowd.

Everyone, just like before, seemed so intent on the movie. Again T'Pol didn't move a muscle, her face betrayed no emotion (if any emotion happened beneath the surface), Hoshi sat somewhat relaxed, and Travis and Malcolm were together. The former was munching on popcorn, as for the latter... The armory officer did seem a bit stiffer than usual. His shoulders betrayed his attempt at seeming casual, and his head was rigidly facing the projection, almost as if he was purposely avoiding looking sideways.

Leaving the popcorn bucket aside, resting all but forgotten on a nearby table, Trip focused all of his attention on Lieutenant Malcolm Reed. It was clear enough that Travis was talking, his lips were moving, and Malcolm could be seen answering. But, again, he never moved his head. It was as if his neck had gone stiff from a cramp or something. As he scrutinized the dark-haired officer, Tucker noticed beads of sweat forming on his nape.

_Now that's odd!_

The _room_ was far from cold, it was chill, so there really was no reason for someone to be sweating... And as he watched, even more droplets started to form, a few ran down the Englishman's neck, engulfed by the collar of his uniform.

Trip gulped at the sight. The thoughts that crossed his mind in that split second were far from professional.

He tried getting his mind on its tracks again.

_He could be feverish?_ After a second he dismissed that hypothesis. _Though it'd take a lot for Malcolm to pay Phlox a visit, he's not stupid. He'd never ignore his health, not knowing the crew counts on him being able to do his job. He just can't take not being able to do his job..._

Malcolm rocked uncomfortably on his chair, eerily mimicking the engineer's earlier gesture.

Moving to place the bucket on a table top, since he really wasn't eating anyway, Trip noticed Hoshi.

Hoshi, whom was descreetly looking towards Trip, a shy smile on her face, trying her level best to be unnoticeable as possible.

But there remained her smile.

_Hoshi, what...?_

Before the words on his minds could form on his lips, Trip watched in astonishment as Hoshi barely moved her eyes towards Malcolm, slightly inclined her head. Trip, now shocked, saw her silently mouth the name "Malcolm" before turning her head, and eyes, towards him, giving the engineer the same shy smile she first greeted him with.

Trip felt his knees buckle. Before they could fail him. Before anything else could happen, he stormed out of the mess hall, leaving behind whatever drama Yuri and Lara were going through.

 

***

 

_Was it because of me?!_

_Hoshi said so._

_Did she?!_

_I mean, she did say it was Malcolm that was staring at me._

_At least I think that's what she was saying... Or trying to say._

A shower never seemed more relaxing, and the mattress was embracing Trip's body in a way that made all his muscles relax and unknot. His mind, however, was going faster than a Vulcan ship.

_Maybe he really was staring at me..._

_That'd explain why he was so nervous! The guys was sweating!_

_Perhaps he knew I was staring at him as well, or maybe he thought I'd found out who was staring at me!_

_He certainly avoided being caught the first times around..._

_Oh, well, then perhaps..._

 

 

 


End file.
